Phlox Plant Named &#39;DOPHLFLAWHIM&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Dophlflawhim’, characterized by its upright and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; dense inflorescences with white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Varieties of Phlox Plants

Inventor: Ellen van Sambeek

Applicant: Dümmen Group B. V.

Provisional application Ser. No.: 62/973,349

Filed: Sep. 30, 2019

Inventor and Applicant hereby claim the benefit of this provisional U.S.Patent Application.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLFLAWHIM’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B. V. of DeLier, The Netherlands on Sep. 19, 2019, application number 2019/2287.Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/orApplicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior artexemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior tothe filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filingdate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Dophlflawhim’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new early and freely-flowering Phloxplants with attractive flower color.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2014 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietaryselection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number PA07-000021-001,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number PA-0099, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in July, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since March, 2016has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dophlflawhim’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Dophlflawhim’ as a new and distinct Phloxplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniform plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Dense inflorescences with white-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox havewhite-colored flowers whereas plants of the female parent selection havedark bluish-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the male parentselection in plant habit as plants of the new Phlox are more uniformthan plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox paniculata‘Sweet Summer Snow’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plantsof the new Phlox and ‘Sweet Summer Snow’ differ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more compact than plants of        ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have shorter leaves than plants of        ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely flowering than plants        of ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.    -   4. Plants of the new Phlox flower about four weeks earlier than        plants of ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.    -   5. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sweet Summer Snow’ differ in        flower bud color as plants of the new Phlox have white-colored        flower buds whereas plants of ‘Sweet Summer Snow’ have reddish        purple-colored flower buds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical floweringplant of ‘Dophlflawhim’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the early summer in 17-cmcontainers initially in a glass-covered greenhouse and finished in anoutdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Phlox production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperaturesaveraged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time one week after plantingrooted young plants and were nine weeks old when the photograph and thedescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘Dophlflawhim’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox            paniculata identified as code number PA07-000021-001, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox            paniculata identified as code number PA-0099, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at            temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days            at temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown            as a container and garden plant; upright and uniform plant            habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 27 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: About two to three            lateral branches develop after pinching. Length: About            26 cm. Internode length: About 3.5 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Mostly smooth, glabrous;            slightly pubescent at the base of the stein. Color: Close to            144B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 9 cm.        -   Width.—About 5 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 143A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to            143C. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and            salverform flowers arranged in compound terminal and lateral            panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly depending            on position on inflorescence; freely flowering habit with            about 42 to 47 flowers per inflorescence and about 470            flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants            begin flowering about eight weeks after planting; plants            flower in July in the garden in The Netherlands; flowers            persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 155A.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 16 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 16 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 5 mm        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter, proximally.—About 3 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe            length: About 2 cm. Lobe width: About 2.2 cm. Lobe shape:            When flattened, round. Lobe apex: Rounded, blunt. Lobe            margin: Entire. Lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Slightly rough, pubescent            at the base. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: When opening,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully opened, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 155D; venation, close to 155D;            color does not change with development. Throat: Close to            157A; venation, close to 157A. Tube: Close to 157A;            venation, close to 157A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, campanulate. Length:            About 9 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid.            Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Color: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 141B. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 143B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from lateral            branch axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            143C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 30° from peduncle            axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to            155C. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 8C.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 158C.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            2 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color: Close            to 145C. Style length: About 1.8 cm. Style color: Close to            145B. Ovary color: Close to 143B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Phlox.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from −20° C. to 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Phlox have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Phlox plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Dophlflawhim’ asillustrated and described.